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AN INTERVIEW 

BY WILL C. HOGG 



A RECORD AND SOME QUERIES 



Austin, Texas, July 19th, 1917. 

When asked today what he had to say in response to Governor Ferguson's attack on the 
University at Valley Mills last Friday, the 13th, Will C. Hogg, Secretary of the Ex-Students' Asso- 
ciation of the University of Texas, said: 

"To call our thimblerigging, swashbuckling, swaggering Governor a common garden liar 
would be the grossest flattery. Undoubtedly he will prejudice the minds of many honest people 
by his misrepresentations, misstatements, and vindictive insinuations concerning the University, 
its faculty, and its student body; but the harm he has done and can do in this respect is as 
nothing compared to the tremendous damage he has already done the institution by his wanton 
attack on the fundamental conception of University control under our Constitution and statutes, 
and its effective functions as a University of the first class. 

"We should not be disturbed by the actual or prospective results of our Governor's cheer- 
ful crusade against the University and the ideals of higher education cherished the world over. 
By thus degrading a time-honored establishment of our fathers, by thus serving to bring the good 
name of our State into disrepute abroad, he is assuring his own personal and political distress 
in the long run, and the University, "which will endure in a crippled condition during the remain- 
der of his ruinous administration of State affairs, will emerge freer and bigger and grander than 
ever. 

"If the good people of Valley Mills will only consider Ferguson's record in the contro- 
versy, and take his own words to discover his motives, the exercise of ordinary common sense 
will lead them to beware of any self-seeking statements he has made or can make to the detri- 
ment of the University. 

"To learn just how disinterested and devoted to the broad public interest our cheerful 
constructive Governor may be, I ask the good people of Valley Mills to consider the following: 

(1) See correspondence between Ferguson and Dr. Battle, then acting President of the 
University. 

(2) Ascertain the action of the Board of Regents upon Ferguson's unjust attack on Dr. 
Battle. 

(3) See correspondence between Ferguson and President Vinson of the University. 

(4) See correspondence between Ferguson and former Regent Faber of Tyler. 

(5) Read Ferguson's own statements when he appeared before the Board of Regents on 
October 10, 1916, with charges against certain members of the faculty, which, on investigation 
by the Board, were considered either false or frivolous in all cases by at least six out of nine 
members of the then Board. 

(6) Note the request of the Board (at the conclusion of that hearing) for a full legis- 
lative investigation of the affairs of the University. 

(7) Mark the appeals to the Thirty-fifth Legislature by the President, faculty, student 
body, and Ex-Students' Association of the University, for a full, unrestricted investigation of the 
affairs of the University. 

(8) Read the report of the special Senate committee referring the question back to the 
Senate, culminating in the Dayton resolution approving the result of the investigation by the 
Board of Regents on October 10th. 

(9) Read the Dayton resolution resulting in the withdrawal of opposition to the confirma- 
tion of the Governor's Regents Allen, Kelley, and Butler (now resigned), and note their sub- 
sequent action in utter disregard of the Dayton resolution as the basis of their confirmation. 



(10) Consider the charges of personal and official misdeeds of Governor Ferguson filed in 
the Senate by Senator Johnson of Hall County, and read the Governor's privileged speech and 
explanation of the charges as reported at that time. 

(11) Consider the charges of personal and official misdeeds of Governor Ferguson filed in 
the House by Representative Davis of Van Zandt, opposed by Ferguson, finally amended and re- 
ferred to a committee, the majority of whom were then reputed to be his political adherents and 
partisans. 

(12) Read the unanimous verdict of this committee affirming Ferguson's guilt of the most 
important charges in the Davis resolution, and excoriating him in severest terms, but concluding 
-that misappropriation and misapplication of public funds and the violation of the State banking 
laws were insufficient grounds for impeachment charges for trial by the Senate. 

(13) Read his letter to the Supreme Court about the Chicken Salad case, and his subse- 
quent proclamation vetoing an appropriation to increase the salaries of the justices of the Supreme 
Court. 

(14) Consider the sworn testimony of former Regents Harrell and Hogg, and present Re- 
gents Brents, Cook, Littlefield, Fly, and Mathis in the Lomax injunction suit, and finally : 

(15) Search every proven private and public utterance of Governor Ferguson on higher 
education and find one constructive suggestion for the upbuilding and increased service of the 
University or of any other higher educational institution in Texas. 

After considering the above published evidences of his true devotion to the cause of higher 
education and of his high-minded zeal in behalf of the best interests of Texas, I hope the good 
people of Valley Mills will urge Governor Ferguson to tell them "the truth about things down at 
Austin" by asking a few questions: 

(1) Why did you oppose the request of the Regents, the faculty, the students, and the 
ex-students for a legislative investigation of the affairs of the University? 

(2) Why did you and your friends in the Senate favor or accept the Dayton resolution as 
a solution of the controversy at that time, and why have you and Regents Allen and Kelley failed 
to abide by the tacit committals of that resolution? 

(3) Why veto the appropriations of the Main Department of the University and of the 
Medical Branch because of per capita cost when you failed and refused to veto that of the branch 
School of Mines at El Paso, whose per capita cost is considerably in excess of the Main University? 

(4) Why do you continue to rail about per capita cost in the University when you know, 
or ought to know, that it was $296 per annum per long session student for 1914-15 as compared, 
for instance, to Virginia's $592, Mississippi's $502, South Dakota's $457, Michigan's $394, Iowa's 
$354. In 1915-16 Texas' figure fell to $277. 

(5) Why do you continue to say that the University has six or eight students per teacher 
when you know, or ought to know, it had in 1914-15 (more since then) 13.4 students per teacher, 
as compared, for instance, to University of Colorado's 5.9 long session students to each teacher, 
University of South Dakota's 8.4, University of Indiana's 8.9, University of Iowa's 11.5, Univer- 
sity of Virginia's 12.1. 

(6) Why do you not compare the University expense per capita and the students per 
teacher with institutions of the same class in Texas or in other States rather than deceive by 
false comparisons of such items of expense in primary schools or in intermediate colleges? 

(7) Will you define in fairly intelligible terms your notion of a University of the first 
class? Your recent action would indicate that your conception is confined to a School of Arts, 
with one professor at $3500 per year, and the El Paso School of Mines. 

(8) Why do you continue to say that the University is a rich man's school, when you 
know, or ought to know, that over 40 per cent of the students last year paid their own expenses 
wholly or in part? 

(9) Why do you continue to say that the University budget has carried "dead men" on 
the pay roll, when you know, or ought to know, that there never was a "dead man" carried on 
the roll, but that during your first term there were two salaries budgeted for positions which were 
never filled: (1) one for an assistant Secretary of the University at $2000 per year, a position 
created and budgeted in good faith but discontinued; and (2) one for Professor of Sociology at 
$3250 per year, a position created and budgeted but which was not filled for the simple reason 
that a desirable occupant of that chair could not be secured? 






) 






(10) Why did you not support the bill to abolish Fraternities at the University introduced 
in the Legislature since you became Governor? 

(11) Why do you continue to say that Woodrow Wilson abolished Fraternities at Prince- 
ton, when you know, or ought to know, that there have been no Fraternities at Princeton since 
the Civil War? 

(12) Why do you continue to charge graft, petty thieving, and peculation among the 
Faculty, without specifying the men and instances? 

(13) Why do you not complain of such alleged thieving by the Faculty to the grand 
jury of Travis County? 

(14) What appropriations have you ever vetoed for any cause? 

(15) What appropriations of the last Legislature except the increase of salaries of jus- 
tices of the Supreme Court and the appropriation for the University did you veto ? 

(16) What is your policy and attitude towards the governing boards of all State-sup- 
ported institutions? 

(17) What has been your actual experience with such boards? 

(18) Why do you continue to rant and rave in passionate outbursts of self-glorification 
over the "little red schoolhouse, " when you do not send your daughters to the public free schools 
of Texas? 

(19) What was the State tax rate when you became Governor, and what is it now? 

(20) How many libel suits have you filed (and where) for the protection of your private 
name and official character? 

(21) How many rangers do you use or employ at the State's expense to guard your 
person and residence against some fancied danger or imagined harm? 

(22) How much State money is now deposited in your Temple State Bank, with or with- 
out interest, and how much do you now owe the Temple State Bank? 

(23) Why did you deem it to the best interest of the State to hold a secret ballot for 
the location of the new West Texas A. and M. College? 

How far this cheerful and constructive autocrat will be able to travel the rocky road of his 
mad career is measured entirely by the forbearance and apathy of the best citizenship of the State 
and by the trifling percentage of illiteracy and ignorance to which alone he can appeal with any 
assurance of temporary success. 

"If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me." "Farmer" Jim is a farce, and 
my prediction is that he is riding to the biggest fall, personally and politically, in the short and 
simple annals of the misguided politicians of Texas. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




029 904 402 5 



PROCEEDINGS OF INVESTIGATION 

of Governor James B. Ferguson by the Committee of the Thirty-fifth 
(last) Legislature now printing — nearly 500 pages. Have a copy and 
decide for yourself whether you concur in the result as truly just to 
Governor Ferguson as well as to the fair fame of Texas. Remit $1.25 
per copy (delivered) with order. 

WILL C. HOGG, HOUSTON OR AUSTIN, TEXAS. 



iiiiimmiimmmih? 



(Ready by July 25) 



TO THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS 



— whose Governor has disgraced and degraded our University by securing a Board of Eegents, 
a majority of whom servilely do his will; by making, in violation of our Constitution, the insti- 
tution a part of his political and financial machine; by falsely accusing members of the Faculty 
and having them dismissed, notwithstanding their acquittal; by securing the discharge of mem- 
bers because of their manhood in denouncing his actions ; by attacking the President on the 
ground that he is a minister devoted to the service of God; by maliciously and mendaciously 
traducing the institution, its faculty and students. 

He violates the Constitution he has sworn to obey, disregards the platform on which he was 
nominated, destroys an institution it was his duty to foster, attacks the freedom he was elected 
to preserve, and when called to the bar of public opinion to answer for his misdeeds, arrogantly 
announces: "I don't have to give reasons; I am Governor" 

TO THE PEOPLE 

in their hour of humiliation, this record of shame is dedicated, that they may know somewhat of 
the man who governs over them, and that knowing, they may fight to restore the honor he has 
smirched and to retain the liberty he has imperiled. 



PROCEEDINGS OF INVESTIGATION 

of Governor James E. Ferguson by the Committee of the Thirty-fifth 
(last) Legislature now printing — nearly 500 pages. Have a copy and 
decide for yourself whether you concur in the result as truly just to 
Governor Ferguson as well as to the fair fame of Texas. Remit $1.25 
per copy (delivered) with order. 

WILL C. HOGG, HOUSTON OR AUSTIN, TEXAS. 



(Ready by July 25) 



